Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Chattanooga, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Chattanooga, TN: $2,511 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
120

Cost of Living Index in Chattanooga, TN
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Chattanooga, TN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Chattanooga, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,511

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Chattanooga, TN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Chattanooga, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,511 in Chattanooga, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Chattanooga, TN $2,511

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,776 in Chattanooga, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Chattanooga, TN $3,776

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,042 in Chattanooga, TN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Chattanooga, TN $5,042

Chicago, IL costs about 21% more than Chattanooga, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Chattanooga, TN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Chattanooga, TN by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.17 $20.17

2.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$102 $102

-12.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.09 $11.09

18.94%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.52 $5.52

2.54%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.41 $2.41

9.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.04 $2.04

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.12 $6.12

12.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.66 $7.66

15.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.07 $1.07

16.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.78 $3.78

-1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.85 $3.85

40.00%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.32 $4.32

9.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.74 $13.74

0.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.57 $14.57

-1.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.45 $13.45

36.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.61 $6.61

-21.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 $1.61

22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.40 $4.40

-7.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.28 $4.28

16.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.85 $2.85

-6.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.67 $3.67

-27.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.70 $2.70

-17.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.73 $2.73

14.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.48 $9.48

45.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$18.14 $18.14

-17.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.95 $1.95

30.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.29 $3.29

6.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.54 $1.54

57.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$50.3 $50.3

46.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.11 $5.11

-37.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.98 $1.98

-29.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.76 $29.76

-15.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.89 $0.89

34.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

26.02%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.04%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$194 $194

$156 $156

24.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$81.4 $81.4

-14.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$75.2 $75.2

-18.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$36.28 $36.28

32.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$4.12 $4.12

563.59%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.81 $14.81

20.26%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,794 $1,794

$1,077 $1,077

66.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.8K $24.8K

28.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$41.72 $41.72

60.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.09 $38.09

36.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$96.3 $96.3

5.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$117 $117

23.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,548 $1,548

63.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,176 $1,176

34.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,711 $2,711

74.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,929 $1,929

39.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,971 $2,971

41.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,185 $2,185

26.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,057 $4,057

21.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.63

2.71%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chattanooga, TN: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Chattanooga, TN

$1.2K 46.8% 25.5% $402

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Chattanooga, TN

$429 17.1% 4% $18

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Chattanooga, TN

$324 12.9% 5.9% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Chattanooga, TN

$312 12.4% 4% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Chattanooga, TN

$132 5.3% 19.7% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Chattanooga, TN

$72 2.9% 23.4% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Chattanooga, TN

$66 2.6% 21.1% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,548 in Chattanooga, TN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $102 in Chattanooga, TN. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $429 in Chattanooga, TN – so Chattanooga, TN wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Chattanooga, TN

🕒 Local time

20:23 8:23 PM

21:23 9:23 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

176,588

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Chattanooga, TN 790 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Chattanooga, TN

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Chattanooga, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 21% more than Chattanooga, TN, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,767 in Chattanooga, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chattanooga, TN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,548 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,511 in Chattanooga, TN. That makes Chattanooga, TN about 17% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 32% less in Chattanooga, TN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,511 in Chattanooga, TN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chattanooga, TN – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chattanooga, TN. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.